Haley: State officials working to attract businesses to Inland Port near Greer

Wednesday

Oct 23, 2013 at 12:43 PM

The Inland Port is operational, and Gov. Nikki Haley said top state officials are actively trying to attract new business.

By FELICIA KITZMILLERfelicia.kitzmiller@shj.com

The Inland Port is operational, and Gov. Nikki Haley said top state officials are actively trying to attract new business.Haley visited the Inland Port near Greer on Wednesday morning. The $43 million facility is designed to extend distribution networks 212 miles inland using short rail service. The facility opened earlier this month and recently handled its first cargo. "Look at South Carolina now," Haley said. "It doesn't get much better than this. … This sends a huge message to the world that not only are we open for business, but we are open for growing business."BMW is the anchor customer of the Inland Port, but Haley and Jim Newsome, CEO of the Ports Authority, said they are actively recruiting new companies to become clients of the port. With the port built and handling cargo, Newsome said he thinks it will be easier to recruit clients than when all they had to look at was concept drawings. Newsome set a goal of the port achieving 100,000 cargo lifts next year, which he and Haley said was ambitious but attainable. BMW is expected to account for 20,000 lifts when its upcoming expansion is complete."It's a step-by-step process, but we're optimistic it will be successful," Newsome said of building traffic at the port. "People believe it when they see it."The Inland Port is one of a few facilities of its kind in the country. It will allow containers to be shipped overnight by existing Norfolk Southern rail service to the Port of Charleston, reducing trucking costs substantially for many large businesses in the region.Haley said the Inland Port is also a selling point for recruiting new businesses to the state. Even businesses who don't rely on port access are impressed by the Greer facility's construction, because it shows the state's willingness to invest in infrastructure, she said. Many businesses want to see not only that a location has the necessary infrastructure, but that the state and local governments are willing to grow their infrastructure as the companies that support the communities grow, Haley said."The Inland Port means jobs," she said. "Not just here at the port, but at the companies that are going to come and the companies that are here."Construction is still underway on the 40-acre site as development continues. Opening of the port was several months behind schedule. Newsome said copious rain over the summer and difficult topography slowed progress. Even with the challenges, Newsom said it was a worthwhile project."I think we'll look back on this as a very wise investment," he said.The Greer facility is part of a $1.3 billion capital plan for new and existing port facilities. Another part of the plan is deepening the Port of Charleston. The state has set aside the requisite funds, but is waiting for funding from the federal government to move forward. Haley and Newsome said Wednesday they think the federal government will deliver on the project.